MILWAUKEE— A former Greenfield High School track coach accused of sexually assaulting a student athlete and grooming her over more than a year appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty.
23-year-old Bennet Schmitz is charged with two counts of child enticement and one count of sexual assault of a student by school staff. According to a criminal complaint, Schmitz first began communicating with the girl during the 2023 track season, when she was 15 years old.
Prosecutors say the messages became sexual in 2024, and the complaint alleges Schmitz met with the student at his Franklin apartment and at hotels in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. The student told investigators Schmitz threatened suicide when she tried to end communication, and text messages reviewed by detectives reportedly show his behavior escalating over time.
Schmitz faces more than 50 years in prison if convicted.
The Greenfield District confirmed Schmitz coached track for two seasons and left in 2024. He was most recently employed by the D.C. Everest School District near Wausau, where officials say he has been placed on leave.
